British tourist killed in Grand Canyon skydiving accident

A British tourist has died in a skydiving accident in the US state of Arizona.

Christopher Swales, 55, had been doing a tandem skydiving jump near the Grand Canyon on Sunday morning.

The jump had been going to plan until Mr Swales and his skydiving partner reached the landing, according to Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

A spokesman for the sheriff’s office said that Mr Swales and his skydiving partner “encountered difficulties while approaching the landing area” at the Grand Canyon National Park Airport.

“These difficulties caused the pair to free fall for an unknown distance and hit the ground in what was described as a ‘hard landing’.”

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Mr Swales was unconscious when paramedics arrived and he died later in hospital.

His skydiving partner, who worked at a skydiving centre, suffered a broken leg.

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The crash is being investigated.

Ian Gregor, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration, told the Arizona Republic: “The FAA’s skydiving accident investigations typically look at whether the parachutes were properly packed by the appropriate people and, when it occurs during a tandem jump, whether the instructor had the required experience and credentials.”